Years ago, my first 360 evaluation offered this eye-opening piece of feedback:
“Gary is really good at making key points through storytelling. But maybe he doesn’t have to tell all of his stories all at once?”
It was a fair point, then and now. After 30-plus years in the CPA industry, I’ve amassed lots of personal stories and anecdotes. They can be very helpful in illustrating how and why I’ve developed certain beliefs and insights—but I now make a deliberate effort to share them in moderation.
That’s why I’m excited to launch this new series, “How I Think.” Every couple of weeks, I’ll offer my take on topics relevant to our profession and the future of our profession—the same topics that are top-of-mind with my consulting clients. Each one will offer insight based on the practical experiences I’ve gained over my career, and I’ll respect your time and attention by doling them out at a digestible pace.
I’ve been incredibly fortunate to have had good mentors along the way. With the launch of Thomson Consulting, it feels like the right time to continue that tradition of sharing the knowledge and experience accrued during a rich and fulfilling career.
To whet your appetite, here’s a sample of what’s to come:
The “Big Four”
No, not those four. I’m talking about owner compensation, succession planning, buy-outs, and profitability. I’ll examine this crucial four-way intersection to illustrate how an integrated strategy is essential for CPA firm success.
The “it” factor
Finding the next generation of leaders is not an option; it’s a must. But how do you find leaders who have “it”? Can you train people to have “it”? How do you even define “it”?
At the intersection of metrics and culture
Focusing disproportionately on performance can undo our efforts to create a healthy workplace. Is it possible to be both performance- and people-focused? I’ll lead you to the elusive place where they intersect.
You’ll also find these issues highlighted in the round-up of keynote speaking topics I offer. It is my great privilege to be able to share lessons I’ve learned in settings large and small, and I look forward to opening this dialogue with you via this digital space.
